"D'ye ever have the toothache?" said Captain Leezur kindly; "ef ye do,
come right straight deown to me, and ef she 's home you shall have
her"--and he exhibited beamingly that talismanic little bone cleft from
the forepaw of a deer, "Ye pick yer teeth with 'er and ye're sartin
never to have the toothache, but ef you've got a toothache, she'll cure
ye.
"Mine 's been lent a great deal," he continued proudly. "She 's been
as far as 'Tit Menan Light, and one woman over to Sheep Island kep' her
a week once. She 's been sent for sometimes right in the middle o' the
night! When there ain't nobody else a-usin' of her, I takes the
charnce to pick away with her a little myself. But ef you ever feel
the toothache comin' on, come to me direc'--and ef she 's home, you
shall have her."
I thanked him with a swelling heart. We shook hands affectionately,
and I went on up the lane.
I turned the corner by the school-house. Away back there among the
spruce trees, I saw moving figures, red, green, blue, and heard low
voices and laughter.
Then I remembered how I had heard the orphan "help" of my hostess, Miss
Pray, make a request that she might go "gumming" with the other girls
that afternoon.
It was a long perspective to limp through alone, with all those bright,
merry eyes peering from behind the spruce trees. But I had not labored
over half the way, when I saw one, the tallest one, coming toward me.
Vesty.
"Won't you have some?" she said. "Strangers don't know how good it is;
it is very good for you--a little." Yes, she was chewing the gum--a
little--herself; but that wild pure resin from the trees, and with, oh,
such teeth! such lips! a breath like the fragrant shades she had issued
from.
She poured some of her spicy gleanings into my hand.
And now I could see her closely.
I do not know how she would have looked at other men, strong men; but
at me she looked as the girl mother who bore me, untimely and in
terror, might have done, had she been now in the flesh, mutely
protective against all the world, without repugnance, infinitely tender.
"I am coming up to sit with you and Miss Pray, some evening," she said.
Her warm brown fingers touched mine. She did not blush; she had her
Sunday face--holy, grave.
"Come! God bless you, child!" I said, and limped on, strong against
the world.
I sat by the fireplace that evening; not a night in all the year in
this sweet north country but you shall find the fire welcome.
Miss Pray's fireplace stretched wide between door and door. Opposite
it were the windows; you saw the water, the moon shone in.
Miss Pray did her own farming and was sleepy, yet sat by me with that
religious awe of me as befitting one who had elected to pay seven
dollars a week for board! I surprised a look of baffled wonder and
curiosity on her face now and then, as well as of remorse at allowing
me to attach such a mysterious value to my existence.
She did not know that her fire in itself was priceless.
It burned there--part of a lobster trap, washed ashore, three buoys, a
section of a hen-coop, a bottomless chopping tray, a drift-wood stump
with ten fantastic roots sending up blue and green flame, a portion of
the wheel of an outworn cart, some lobster shells, the eyes glowing,
some mussel shells, light green, and seaweed over all, shining,
hissing, lisping.
Miss Pray snored gently. I put some of the spruce gum Vesty had given
me into my mouth; well, yes, by birth I have very eminent right to
aristocratic proclivities.
But the spruce woods came again before me with their balm, and her
face. I dwelt upon it fondly, without that pang of hope which most men
must endure, and smiled to think of Captain Leezur's dismay if he
should know how Vesty had already coiled herself around my
heart-strings!